


Answers

by faerierequiem



Category: The Queen's Thief - Megan Whalen Turner
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-30 22:39:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17232527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faerierequiem/pseuds/faerierequiem
Summary: It was entirely his fault, but—Kamet sighed as his foot sunk again into mud—they’d been through far worse. A single marshland was nothing.





	Answers

Kamet’s foot sunk into the mud for the sixth time. He wasn’t sure if keeping track of the number was keeping him sane or causing him to become even more irritated. He didn’t want to be, but his patience was wearing thin and he pulled his foot out from the ground, no longer surprised by the sight of the dirty, wet shoe that now greeted him.

In comparison to their journey to Attolia, this one to Roa was far easier. The traveling hadn’t been entirely on foot. There’d been horses and ships, decreasing the physical exertion required of them. They’d been able to have regular meals that hadn’t entirely consisted of a certain, fowl-tasting animal. It’d been unquestionably much cleaner with baths and rivers to bathe in along the way, but considering where he was now, Kamet thought to himself that he should have known the good luck would run out—right in the mountains before Roa no less.

With a sigh, Kamet tried to console himself with the thought that there would be a bath in Roa. His feet were in definite need of cleaning, but he’d also slipped and fallen earlier onto his hands and knees in an area that had been more water than mud, soaking his pants as well. Recalling this incident did his mood no favors, but he didn’t want to reveal how frustrated he truly was. He could tell Costis was already aware by the occasional way Costis would glance over his shoulder at him, or by the offer Costis had made to carry Kamet back to the campground (Kamet had calmly refused this), or by the fact that Costis had taken the lead, walking through the marshland first to find the less waterlogged path to take and getting far dirtier than Kamet was.

Above all, what kept Kamet’s irritation from feeling entirely justified was that it was because of him that they were in this predicament. He’d been the one who had wanted to get near the lake. It was his fault for not having kept that to himself. It was his fault for not having insisted that they’d turn back the moment they’d discovered that the lake was surrounded by marshland, which had been hidden from Costis’ eyes by the overgrowth of green shrubberies that’d blended alongside the grassland of the mountain valley. It was entirely his fault, but—Kamet sighed as his foot sunk again into mud and he pulled it back out—they’d been through far worse. A single marshland was nothing.

Costis let out a cry, startling Kamet, and he saw that Costis had fallen nearly waist-deep into the water ahead.

“Costis!” Carefully, Kamet threaded his way to him. The land was getting more and more sodden the closer they got to the lake. He looked behind himself to double-check their progress. They were more than three-quarters of the way from where they’d started at the edge of the marsh. They’d made it this far, but uncertainly, he wondered if they should turn back. He reached out a hand to pull Costis up from the water, almost losing his footing on the muddy ground and falling backwards.

Costis let out a little laugh once he was out, sounding less amused and more weary. “We should avoid this way.”

Kamet nodded. “Yes, let’s.” He turned around. “I’ll lead the way now.”

This was followed by a silence that Kamet knew was filled with protest, but he continued in search of a better trail and Costis followed without arguing. It was a hassle walking through the bushes without Costis pushing them back for him beforehand. As the branches scratched at him and caught at his clothing, Kamet became more aware of how easier Costis had made the situation for him by having gone first. Now that the roles were reversed, he wasn’t sure how well of a job he was doing. He didn’t have the wide girth that snapped the branches back. They went into their original positions after he’d passed. And it was difficult finding a way that wasn’t muddy or soaked with water. After taking them down a wrong route for the fourth time, Kamet began to feel as if he were lost in a nightmarish maze.

After a while, Costis started to help by pointing out pathways. He was able to catch sight of further possibilities that Kamet was unable to see. This only added more disadvantages to Kamet being in the lead.

Grudgingly, he resigned to the reality that he was unsuited to go first. He stepped aside, pushing back into the shrubbery to give Costis enough room to pass him. “Here.”

Costis eyed him, and for a mortifying moment, Kamet was flushed with the thought that Costis would not accept his defeat so easily, but then Costis clapped a hand down on his shoulder and walked past to be in front again, taking them in a new direction that Kamet had missed. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

Kamet was almost sure he had heard the question wrong. There was nothing about trudging through marshland that was remotely enjoyable. It was a constant effort. He was wet and dirty and tired, and Costis probably even more so. Bewildered, he asked, “Are you?”

“My father used to have pigs when I was growing up. I would run around the pen trying to grab them, or sometimes I would play with them. Doing this reminds me of that. I’d get even muddier than this.” Costis turned to him with a smile.

Kamet shook his head, amused despite himself. “I hope that there is a pig somewhere in this miserable place for you.”

Costis laughed.

Kamet checked their progress again. The lake loomed closer now. He stopped walking and took in the sight as well as he could, tiptoeing to get a better look over the shrubberies. He was in the middle of searching for an available rock to step on top of when he felt Costis behind him, and he let out a surprised yelp as Costis lifted him up, one of his arms behind his back and the other under his knees.

Kamet struggled to keep his composure, sputtering Costis’ name as he did so.

Costis looked unbothered. Perhaps Attolians were shameless about these sorts of actions, but he knew the truth was that it was because Costis was Costis.

“I told you I don’t want to be carried,” Kamet said. He attempted to sound calm, but his voice was too tense and breathy, giving his nervousness away.

Costis gave a nod of his chin in the direction of the lake. “Look.”

Kamet understood. The leverage Costis had given him made all the difference. From his new vantage point, he could see even more how alluring the lake was. The surface of it was a still mirror that reflected the blue sky and some of the surrounding mountains. The lack of water movement was calming, so different from the ocean and rivers they had traveled. Kamet could have stared at it forever if he hadn’t been very aware of Costis’ eyes on him.

He avoided the eye contact, trying to stay oblivious and focused on the view, but it was impossible to ignore the way his shoulder pressed up against Costis’ chest or that it was Costis’ arms that kept him up in the air, his hold sturdy and strong. It was also impossible to forget how it had been Costis who’d suggested they make the hike here, who’d urged him to attempt the walk through the marsh, who’d taken the brunt of the mud, water, and branches as he’d searched for the safest routes—all because Kamet had expressed the desire that he wanted a closer look of the lake.

And then there was the pressing knowledge he’d had since the beginning of their trip that Costis hadn’t been ordered to accompany him to Roa. Costis had chosen to come. Kamet has not asked him why.

In hindsight, there are many things Costis had done that Kamet has not asked him about.

Their faces were too close. Costis must be able to read his expression and know his every thought.

Kamet kept his eyes on the lake. “Put me down.”

Costis lowered him, feet first, so that Kamet could stand, and as Costis was leaning back up, Kamet grabbed hold of his face. He looked up to see surprise in Costis’ eyes and hesitated at the sight of it. Maybe he had the answer wrong. All of a sudden, he felt like an idiot, standing in the mud and holding Costis’ face between his filthy hands. His grip was too tight. He was about to let Costis go, but then he saw that Costis’ cheeks had reddened.

Kamet kissed him.

He wasn’t the only idiot in this marshland.

**Author's Note:**

> I had actually planned for there to be more of an aftermath/longer kiss scene, but once I reached the end, I realized that was actually a good place for the fic to stop and that anything that would come after would feel extraneous to me. I'm not entirely satisfied with this fic, but the idea has been in my head for a while now and I'm glad to have it finally written and this is my first time writing about them and for the fandom, but I hope anyone who read this enjoyed! Kudos and comments would be very much appreciated, and if you tumblr, check out the fanfic here: https://fearlessinspirit.tumblr.com/post/181556744896/thick-as-thieves-answers ~ and reblog/like!
> 
> (Also, this fic is inspired by an actual thing I did as a matter of fact. This summer my family, cousin, and I trekked through a marsh to get to a lake and it was actually really fun and the end result was totally worth it. Here's a pic of it if anyone's curious: https://66.media.tumblr.com/48e95d8e140d86dc9b20cf5b5adf62e3/tumblr_inline_pkkcafpi0P1s18b10_1280.png ^^)
> 
> ((Also also: long story short but apparently writing Comet makes me completely blank out on what's past tense versus present tense good god))


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